Guess who's coming to dinner?
by prisciletti
Summary: Diane's aunt is in town and demands to meet her new husband. Set somewhere in season 6.
1. Chapter 1

_**NOTE:**_ _This is kind of a sequel to Welcome to my Life so I would recommend the readers to check that one first. I always wanted to hear more about Kurt's life and that's how I came up with the idea of writing this fic. Aunt Angie is based on Mame (from Patrick Dennis' Auntie Mame) and Angela Lansbury was my inspiration._

* * *

It has been an exhausting week. He and Diane were both working nonstop on different cases. Since Alicia had decided to run for SA, his wife has never been home before nine.

What a difficult year that was, especially for her. She had been promised the Illinois Supreme court seat by the Governor, only to be denied her right before the campaign started. After that, she was almost pushed out of her own firm, the same one she had founded almost 10 years ago.

Instead of backing down, Diane decided to join forces with Cary and Alicia. Unfortunately, she had been struggling with the new firm, now busier than ever. Cary had proved himself to be a great partner, since Alicia had decided to run for State's attorney.

Kurt had always admired her for being the fighter she was. Although he hated to see her so exhausted, he knew she had made the right decision.

But above all, the worst news of the past year was the fact she had lost her best friend and business partner. If he was honest to himself, he had always felt a bit jealous of Will. With time, he understood that her friendship with him was unique. Will was her partner in business, but also her confidant and their friendship would always have a special place in her heart.

The only thing that was going smoothly in the past year was their relationship. When they had finally agreed to be together and get married, he expected big changes in their lives. Both had been single for too long and he feared that he wouldn't be able to adapt to married life. Luckily, he was wrong.

Their marriage had been bliss, pure bliss. While they were struggling with their careers, their private life had been perfect. " _You can't always win,"_ she had confessed to him once, after arriving too late at night, completely exhausted.

On that day in particular, Diane came back strangely early from work. Kurt noticed how anxious she was. He could count on one hand the times he had seen her like that. If he had to blame something for her weird behaviour, a phone call two days before would be the reason.

She had changed three times, tried four different sets of jewelry and even made a comment on what he was wearing. Normally, she didn't care about his clothing. Yet, he knew tonight was a special night.

It wasn't like he was feeling calm himself. Diane's aunt was in town. She was her father's younger sister, as Diane once explained to him. He was too old to get nervous about meeting the girlfriend's parents, but that was exactly how he was feeling.

Diane had told him a few stories about her eccentric aunt. She was, as far as he knew, Diane's closest living relative and he knew how much her aunt's opinion counts. The fact that she had demanded to have dinner with her and her new husband made Kurt feel especially uneasy.

He remembered the night she called, directly to Diane's cellphone. They were both laying on their bed, watching TV and discussing the possibilities of the politic scenarios now that Hillary, Bernie Sanders, Jeb Bush and Donald Trump were running for president. She was so offended with Trump's ideas that she actually confessed to him that she was hoping Jeb Bush would win the Republican Nomination. And that was obviously a first for her, cheering for a member of the Bush clan.

Diane felt worried with the call at first, wondering what on earth would her aunt call her so late at night. She was an eighty eight year old lady after all. However, as soon as she learned the real reason for the call, a huge smile spread on her face. He heard the excitement on her voice and could catch a bit of the conversation between them, over the phone.

" _You better bring him."_

 _"Of course I will!"_

" _You are married for more than a year now, darling, and I haven't met your husband."_

" _Don't worry, he will be there."_

" _He better be. I'm your aunt and I officially replace your parents. I know the importance and responsibility of the title. I have veto power!"_

Diane and her aunt agreed to meet in a restaurant downtown, the number one place on every dining list in Chicago. Diane and him had been there a few times and for what he could remember, the restaurant had an excellent meat menu and the price was pretty decent. That alone was enough for him.

They left home earlier than they should and arrived at the restaurant at eight sharp. Diane mentioned more than once that her aunt was very punctual and she didn't want to give her any motives for complaints.

When they entered the restaurant, Diane explained to the receptionist that they were there to meet someone. Kurt immediately saw an old lady seated on a table, on the very back of the restaurant, near the grand piano. He knew it was her aunt - the same old, elegant lady he remembered seeing on a picture Diane showed him once.

Her aunt spotted them first and waved, raising herself from the chair. After they reached the table, she and her aunt shared a long-lasting look before Diane stepped up first to hug her tightly. It was emotional for both of them. His wife had a few important people in her life and her aunt was one of them.

When the hug finished, both had tears in their eyes. They shared a brief laugh, probably embarrassed of their reaction to seeing one another after a long time.

Her aunt was the first to break the moment, speaking louder than normal. "Darling you look gorgeous. Married life agrees with you."

The comment made Kurt look closely at his wife. Yes, she was glowing. He knew she was genuinely happy to see her favorite aunt.

"Well, thank you! You also look great, Aunt Angie." Diane replied, in a lighter tone. Her aunt was wearing elegant tailored black pants and jacket, with a rather big ruby brooch, in some kind of flower format, on her right lapel. That made Kurt chuckle. Apparently, they both liked brooches.

Her aunt was not as tall as Diane, but she had the same posture as her niece. Her voice was deep and she had a very posh accent. He also noticed the similarities they shared - both were elegant, had the same side smile and the same eyes.

"Ah, nonsense," she said, dismissing the comment, "The fact that I'm still living is good enough. Look at your dress!"

Diane had finally decided on a deep red dress for the night. Kurt had agreed that his wife had chosen the best option after all. Then again, he knew nothing about fashion. His wife looked stunning and anyone with a brain would agree.

"Did you like it? It's Oscar de la Renta." Diane replied, looking down at her dress, smoothing it with her hands.

"Of course. Absolutely perfect. I taught her how to dress, you know." She told Kurt, pointing at Diane's dress. He could see how proud she was of her niece.

"Yes, she did," Diane smiled back at her.

"You learnt it well, dear," her aunt nodded approvingly at Diane and turned to Kurt "She has her mother's charm, but she has _my_ good taste in clothing."

Her aunt let the comment die slowly and fixed a long look at him. She had a smile on her face and made him feel nervous. As soon as Diane noticed the scrutinising look her aunt was giving him, she reached out, touching his arm, squeezing tightly.

"Oh, my manners! And this is Kurt." Diane smiled, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Of course he is," her aunt said, offering him her hand, "Pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Winfield," he returned the gesture.

"Please, call me Angie," she said dismissively.

"Eh... Yes, ma'am," he managed. For some reason, he felt lost of words. It seemed Lockhart women had that effect on him.

She turned her head to the side, sizing him up and down "Ah, he is one of those, isn't he?" she asked Diane, completely ignoring him for a moment, "Too polite to call an old lady by her nickname. They don't make men like you anymore. It's a shame."

Kurt looked back at Diane, his mouth slightly opened. He didn't quite know what to say.

"It's fine darling, you can call me whatever you want." She waved it off, as it was nothing. "Come on, sit down you two," she said, choosing that moment to sit down at the table.

Diane had warned him that her aunt was a force of nature and loved to intimidate and embarrass people when they first met her. She could be very blunt when she wanted.

Yes, this was going to be a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

_**NOTE:** A special thank you to mikisto26 for all the help! I'm also dedicating this chapter to my aunt Mercia, who was rushed to the hospital last week, but is recovering positively. _

* * *

For the first time that night, Kurt felt his hands sweat. As far as he remembered, the last time his body had reacted so awkwardly was when he asked Alice Williams to be his date at the senior prom. And that was in another life.

He rubbed his hands on his pants and tried to take a few deep breaths. This was ridiculous, he wasn't 17 anymore. The girl in question was already his wife, there was nothing to feel nervous about.

Diane and Aunt Angie were engaged in a deep conversation, but from time to time she stole a few looks at him. She had the most intimidating gaze he had ever seen.

Ms. Jenkins, his ninth grade math teacher, had the exact same gaze. _Oh, God_ , he had to calm himself. He knew old traumatizing memories from high school weren't going to help him at all tonight.

"Did you like the spot?" she asked her niece for confirmation, "It's near the piano and the window".

"Yes. We have been here before, it's an excellent restaurant," Diane looked sincerely happy to see her aunt.

"The owner is Billy's nephew. She guaranteed this was one of the best in Chicago," turning to Kurt she explained "Billy is a great friend of mine from New York. Anyway, she said this was the best table. I just wanted to be next to the piano."

"I know, I remember." Diane whispered, a little lost on her memories.

"I love music, but unfortunately I have never learned to play any instrument," she explained to Kurt "I've always regretted that though."

It was then that Kurt heard a song playing in the background. The pianist had chosen American Classics, Diane's favorites, something from Rodgers, Kern or Porter, he wouldn't know for sure. Those tunes were probably her aunt's favorites too.

"Do you like music Mr. McVeigh?" she asked him. He noticed for the first time that her eyes had the exact same shade of blue as his wife's. She was also a chatter, just like her niece.

"Yes, I do," he said, clearing his throat, "You can call me Kurt, ma'am."

"Not before you start calling me Angie," she said, smirking at him. He glanced at Diane, whose cheeks were quickly turning to a slight shade of pink.

"I'm joking, darling," she patted his arm. After a while she continued, "So, you like country music and oldies? Let me guess - Elvis, The Righteous Brothers, Johnny Cash and Ray Charles?"

Kurt opened his mouth again, but said nothing for a moment. He narrowed his eyes at her. _How in the world could she possibly know?_

Diane laughed nervously and tried to quickly change the subject "So, how are you, Aunt Angie?" It seemed that her aunt was starting to act like her old self.

Aunt Angie smiled again, sizing him up and down, before turning to Diane. She was definitely trying to read him, but decided to give him a chance to breathe first.

"Still alive," she sighed heavily before answering her niece "I could be dead by now. My back hurts, my pressure is higher than normal, my heart is not the same-"

"Oh dear Lord, here we go," Diane rolled her eyes in annoyance and lowered her head.

"Two years, Dee! Two years since you have visited me!" Aunt Angie said accusingly.

"Do we have to go through this again?" Diane sighed heavily, running her hand through her hair.

"The last time you came to New York you were participating in an event with Will or something. And you only visited me because I made him drag you to my house!"

Kurt noticed how good she looked for her age, at least 10 or 15 years younger than she really was.

"Could you please make an effort and visit your old aunt at least once a year? Is this too much to ask?"

"Right, you are right," Diane raised her hands apologetically.

"Of course I am right!" Aunt Angie replied, feeling offended.

"I will visit you more often from now on, I promise."

Waving her hand and catching the waiter's attention, Aunt Angie asked him silently to come over "By the way, this will be on me," she pointed at the table.

"Aunt Angie-" Diane started to complain, but her aunt cut her short almost immediately.

"Nonsense, dear. You are my guests today."

The waiter, a polite young blonde boy around his twenties, took each order patiently, making a few notes on some kind of hand device.

"And darling, before you go, could you bring this for us?" She pointed her choice on the menu. Her aunt raised her hand palm out before Diane started to protest, "Yes, you will join me and I don't take no for an answer. You too, Kurt dear." Giving back the menu to the waiter, she winked at Kurt "If I'm getting drunk tonight, so are you. We are all going down with this ship."

Diane let out a sharp laugh, lighting up her whole face. He was starting to think that this dinner was not a bad idea afterall. He knew he was under scrutiny for the whole night, but if this was the price he had to pay in order to see his wife in such a wonderful mood, he would gladly do this every single day.

"But you took the _magic pill_ , didn't you? You never play fair, Aunt Angie." Diane shook her head, smiling.

"Yes I did," she confessed. Turning to Kurt, she explained "It's one of my well kept secrets. One pill before drinking and one after. I don't have hangovers. Ever." She smiled at him, with sparkling eyes.

"She has never told anyone what _the_ _pill_ is." Diane whispered to Kurt, who chuckled back at her.

Ignoring the couple, Aunt Angie continued "And another advice from me - always order your scotch over 21. You never know what is going to happen afterwards. Let's keep it safe and follow the law."

Diane grinned at her aunt. She seemed genuinely happy to see her again "How is your liver, by the way?"

"Fine, sent you its regards."

"Aunt Angie, I'm serious!" Diane tried not to laugh, but her face was betraying her.

"So am I! I'm in perfect health, my doctor's words exactly. No need to worry, darling." Aunt Angie pated Diane's arm briefly, dismissing the conversation. She was eager to change the subject, but her eyes provided enough reassurance that her health was indeed better than ever.

The waiter came back with the couvert and a bottle of Royal Salute. Diane gasped at her aunt's choice, but didn't say anything. She exchanged a look with Kurt and he immediately understood. Yep, they were heading to a tragic hangover.

"Let's make a toast," Aunt Angie said, raising her glass.

"Let's drink to your health," Diane offered, with a lopsided smile.

"Nah, let's drink to my wealth."

Diane laughed out loud. "Like Sinatra and Crosby."

They shared a laugh, clinking their glasses, "Oh, I knew Frank, you know. What a great man." she told Kurt proudly, "He was good friends with my third husband. Max was a Broadway producer and knew everybody in the business," she took the first sip and continued "Frank was a bachelor when I met him," Aunt Angie said, "A wonderful match for somebody I know..." She lowered her gaze and stared accusingly at Diane.

"Yes, it's true. She offered me to Frank Sinatra," Diane told Kurt, who chuckled in response. He could spend hours listening to her aunt's stories. She was quite a character.

"What? Darling, you had just broke up with Paul, therefore you were available. So was he. And I thought, rich, gorgeous, smart, talented guy-"

"-who happened to be 40 years older than me-" Diane mentioned ironically.

"You loved him!"

"As a fan! Everybody loves him, but as an entertainer!" Diane replied, in a gently mocking tone.

"But that's what he was going to do, darling. Entertain you!"

Diane laughed in response, an honest wonderful laugh that went straight to his heart.

"After all, he married Mia Farrow when she was 21. I told him I had a gorgeous, blonde, charming, intelligent niece that he would love to meet."

"Oh, God, you didn't," Diane lowered her head and shook it in disbelief.

"Of course I did! But as soon as he heard that you were a lawyer, he gave up. He said he had only one rule: never date lawyers." She took another sip from her glass and leaned forward, "I tried to change his mind saying you had a lovely voice, but in the end I failed miserably."

Diane rolled her eyes "Yes, right. I'm sure he believed in you. After all, you never exaggerate."

"But you do have a lovely voice!" Turning to Kurt, Aunt Angie laid a hand on his arm, catching his attention "Did you know Diane is a wonderful singer?"

Kurt nodded, chuckling "Yes, I do," he turned to his wife, who was looking back at him, with a sexy grin on her face. He frequently caught her singing in the shower. He remembered how impressed he was when he heard her for the first time.

Every single detail about Diane, every little secret he had found out since they got married, made him love her even more.

"I'm an OK singer, Aunt Angie," Diane said, before drinking deeply. She was quickly finishing her drink, just like her aunt. He decided to go slower. One of them had to make sure they would arrive safe and sound at home after tonight's dinner.

"Henry Mancini said you had a great voice," Aunt Angie said, plainly, looking fixedly at her.

"Yes, but that was thirty years ago. Besides, he said it at one of those crazy parties of yours. He probably didn't even remember his own name that night."

"Nobody ever did, darling," she pointed out, drinking deeply "Good times, those times." She smiled wickedly at Diane. "Oh, you have no idea who I saw the other day. At one of those _crazy_ parties I still go to."

"Who?"

"Your dear, wonderful, adorable friend Viola Walsh." she said sarcastically.

Diane laughed and shook her head in disbelief "You hate her!"

"That girl is a snake! I've always warned you about her."

"Yes, you have."

Turning to Kurt, she continued "Did you know she dated all Dee's ex-boyfriends?"

"All?" Diane raised her eyebrows "It was just Jake and Tom!" She said, laughing softly.

"Yes, sorry, just two of them, right." Aunt Angie said, rolling her eyes "I never liked that girl. Well, she didn't like me either, obviously. She was at a friend's dinner. Can you imagine how shocked I was when she crossed the room to talk to me? It seems she heard from someone that I was looking for a new law firm. I have decided to make some changes on my will. It's about time really."

"And suddenly I was Angie to her," and she continued, making a fairly good imitation of Viola' voice, " _How are you Angie? I haven't seen you in ages. You look great, Angie."_ She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "What an obnoxious woman."

Kurt met Viola once. He couldn't exactly point it out why, but he didn't like her. Of course he noticed the way she was looking at him, like he was some kind of pray or something. And the fact that she was doing that in front of Diane, so openly, made him feel uncomfortable. He was sure Diane didn't miss it either, judging by the fact that she pushed him against the door and kissed him senseless the minute they walked into their apartment.

"Why didn't you ask me to take care of your will? I'm a lawyer, remember?" Diane said, looking rather offended.

"I know. Klein&Lewiston is dealing with it, darling. The firm is in New York, it's more convenient. Besides, Pete is good friends with Jason Klein, since high school. It's a good firm, I like them."

"Wait, Lewiston? As Bob Lewiston?"

"Yes, that's him."

"He was my colleague in law school!" Diane smiled at the coincidence.

"I know, I remember. He always asks me about you," Aunt Angie told her, with a wicked smile playing on her lips "You should have seen his face when I told him you got married."

Diane blushed again. It seemed her aunt was succeeding at embarrassing her.

"She has fans, you know," Aunt Angie whispered to Kurt. Hearing Diane's gasp, she continued "But she had always ignored them. So no need to worry, dear." She said, moving her hands in a dismissing gesture.

"Ok, enough about me," Diane tried to dismiss the conversation and change the subject "What are you doing in Chicago anyway?"

Aunt Angie took another long sip and sighed dramatically before replying "I came to see someone who hasn't visited me in two years."

Diane lowered her head "Oh, come on, not again."

"I know, I know. You lost your judgeship, you were in a transition moment, you got married, you changed law firms and all that jazz. I'm still not convinced, dear. It's New York, three hours away. It's not London or Paris."

"No, seriously, why did you come?"

"Pete and Karen were attending her brother's wedding. I was also invited."

"Pete is her stepson and Karen is his wife." Diane explained to Kurt. Turning to her aunt, she asked "Wait, Tim is getting married again?"

"Yes, and his ex-wife is good friends with his new wife. She is a bridesmaid, can you believe it? Everything _very_ civilised." Aunt Angie told them, her eyes widened, "Anyway, since you don't visit me since last century, I thought it was a good opportunity to come to Chicago, meet my favourite niece-"

"Your only niece," Diane interrupted her, but she ignored.

"-her new husband and my old friends." Aunt Angie continued and smiled.

At that moment, the maitre approached their table, holding a piece of paper in his hands. "Ms. Lockhart?"

"Yes," both said, answering at the same time. The maitre looked from one to another, and then to Kurt trying to understand what was going on. He was obviously lost.

"I believe he is talking to me, Aunt Angie."

"Yes he is, but I missed that," she smiled, took a piece of bread, applied a good amount of pâté on it and acted like nothing had happened. Kurt chuckled. She liked to play tricks on everybody.

"The gentleman at that table asked me to give you this, Ms. Lockhart," he handed her a small piece of paper, with a brief note.

"Oh, it's Fred Donahue, an old client. David is dealing with his daughter's divorce. Perhaps he needs something."

Diane stood up and rounded her chair. Before she left, she stopped behind Kurt's chair and without him noticing she met her aunt's eyes and mouthed the word BEHAVE. Aunt Angie nodded discreetly.

She simply knew her aunt was going to bombard Kurt with thousands of questions.


	3. Chapter 3

_**NOTE:** Thank you all for the reviews, they are encouraging. And don't worry: she will ask him more questions._

* * *

It all started again. For the second time, he felt his hands sweat and dried them up discreetly with the napkin, under the table. He tried to remember when it was the last time he felt so nervous. Probably on the morning of his wedding. Those 20 minutes before Diane showed up were the longest of his life.

"So, McVeigh... Is that Scottish?" Aunt Angie asked, taking another bite of the bread.

"Irish."

"Ah," she nodded, "Catholic?"

"Yep."

"Do you go to church at all?"

"Nope." She looked at him puzzled, but didn't say anything. She was waiting patiently for something other than his shorts answers. "I was raised catholic, but I don't practice."

"Same as Dee. Did she mention it to you?" He nodded. She did even mention to him that she had attended a traditional catholic school for girls in Chicago.

"Good. Well, I'm catholic too, born and raised. I don't practice either. I don't remember the last time I went to a church, but I try very hard to be a decent person every day." Kurt nodded slowly, agreeing with her.

When she didn't hear anything from him, she continued. "I'm pro-life, by the way. Don't tell her that though. This is between you and me. l come from a liberal family, people's rights above all. I should be pro-choice," she said, her voice sounding more serious now, "But I just don't agree with abortion. I never did. Especially since I suffered four miscarriages myself," she mentioned, a sad smile forming on her face. "I couldn't have children."

"Diane and Danny were my children. Then Pete and Alan, my late husband's sons. They were fifteen and thirteen when I married Andrew. I raised them as my own. My previous husbands either didn't have or didn't want children," she said it and went silent for a moment, lost in memories.

She took a deep breath and continued. "In fact, I don't agree with any kind of murder or death. I'm against death penalty too."

"I don't either."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" She took a black olive from the small silver plate on the table and ate it.

"Yes," he answered briefly. She again waited for him to give her more information. When the silence started to feel a little weird, he continued "I have two brothers and a sister. I'm the eldest".

"And where are you from again?"

"Illinois."

"Really? I thought you were a Southerner."

"My family is from Virginia, but we moved to Illinois when I was twelve."

"Ah, yes, that's right, Dee mentioned it. I've forgotten," she said, dismissing the thought. The gesture was exactly like Diane's and made Kurt chuckle. "My late husband Andrew was from Texas. You have a farm, right?"

"Yep."

"And you are Republican."

"Guilty."

"Do you know what it means for a Lockhart to be involved with a Republican?"

"Yes, Diane told me. It is something close to sin."

"That's right," she nodded slowly, "My dear brother is turning in his grave as we speak."

He looked down at his glass and tasted his scotch. It always made him feel a little guilty when someone reminded him about the Lockhart's Democrat tradition. It was like he was dragging Diane to the dark side. He would always remember their first date, and the fact that her three generations of democratic ancestors almost ruined their future together. Thank God she changed her mind and came back to him.

"Well, I don't care. And as far as I can see, she doesn't care either," she said, waving it away, "Her father didn't like Andrew at first. My late husband was a Republican widow oilman cowboy from Texas. Can you imagine my brother's reaction when I told him I was engaged to him? But he and Andrew put their political differences aside and became great friends. They have always avoided the topic though. It was a forbidden subject."

Kurt chuckled, lowered his gaze and noticed that his glass was almost empty, as well as hers. He took the chance to pour more of the golden liquid into both.

After accepting it with a look of gratitude, she leaned forward and crossed her arms on the table, "Have you ever been married?"

Looking back at his glass, he decided to drink deeply before answering her "Nope."

"Really? Why not?" She threw back at him, her eyes narrowing just slightly.

Marriage has never crossed his mind before he met Diane. The truth was that he was ready to take such a huge step on their relationship since the beginning. "Because I only met Diane about six years ago," he said, plainly, looking her square in the eye.

She was silent for a moment, studying his face. There it was again, the same wicked smile on the corner of her mouth. "Good answer," she raised her glass in his direction and he returned the gesture, smiling back at her.

After a few moments, she continued "Guns."

"What about them?"

"You like them." She said, studying his face.

"It's my work," he answered, signing. Lockharts were known to be anti-guns advocates, he knew that much. He didn't want to start a discussion with her, like he did with Diane's friends - whatever their names were - just days before they got married. He had already decided that he genuinely liked Aunt Angie.

"Ah, yes, you are a ballistics expert," she agreed, after taking another sip from her drink.

"That's right," he nodded.

"And how does that work exactly?" Like her niece, she was not afraid to ask questions. She went directly to the point.

"I analyze the crime scene, check the client's alibi and try to prove their innocence."

"Dee told me you only take cases when you know the client is innocent."

"That is correct," he nodded.

"She also told me that if you find that the client is guilty you quit the case?"

"Exactly."

"Interesting," she said, nodding slowly. She definitely had the most penetrating gaze he had ever seen. For a second, he wondered if there were people who dared to say no to her, "And you are also a teacher?"

"Yes."

"You teach gorgeous ballistics expert trainees, who happen to be women in their early twenties?" she said, taking a long seep.

He opened his mouth to answer but didn't know what to say. Aunt Angie smiled at him "Yes, she tells me things. Not willingly though. I extract information from people, it's a gift." After a moment she continued, "Diane will never admit this, but I'm sure she doesn't like it."

"I know she doesn't. But there is no reason for her to not like it," he said plainly.

She crossed her arms over her chest and started to study his face again. It was an uncomfortable moment until she finally said "I believe you." She cleared her throat and continue, "I just want you to know that she is very important to me. She's like my own daughter." For the second time that night, he saw tears in her eyes. Kurt knew how important Diane was to her.

"Yes, I know," Kurt said, lowering his gaze to the glass. "And I love her very much, ma'am." he whispered back, reassuring her.

"I can see that," she smiled mischievously back at him.

"I will make everything possible to make her happy," he continued, a lightness to his voice.

She tilted her head as if examining him. It made him extremely uncomfortable. He would be lying if he said he was not expecting such a reaction from her. Diane had mentioned that her aunt was probably going to study him. He had prepared himself, but she was much more intimidating than he could ever have imagined.

"She loves you too," she nodded once, looking at him "I've never seen her like this. Not even for Paul." Realising what she had said, her eyes widened as she touched his arm apologetically "Oh my, you do know about Paul, right?"

"Yes, she told me." He did not like to remember the fact that she was once engaged to a tall, charming, blonde rich guy.

"Good!" she chuckled, laying her right hand over her heart, "Well, I didn't like Paul. There was something about that boy. Very handsome, charming, intelligent, but so dull! I don't remember seeing him laugh once. He was never going to make her happy. He didn't understand her. She is a free spirit, like me."

Kurt nodded. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He did something very wrong once, that almost ruined their future together. He asked her to decide between him and her career. Diane Lockhart was an independent, amazing woman and from time to time, he had to pinch himself as he could not believe his luck.

"God knows what Dee saw in him. Well, I suppose I cannot criticise her either. I've made three huge mistakes before getting it right." Sitting back on her chair, she concluded, "I'm very happy for her, for you two."

"We are happy."

"I like you, Mr. McVeigh," she raised her glass to him and took a long sip.

He smiled at her. She was a mischievous woman, but she was sincere and seemed kind. He knew there was a reason why he always liked genuine people.


	4. Chapter 4

"So, I'm back. What did I miss?" Diane said, when she sat back on the empty chair.

At this moment, the waiters brought their dinner. He and Aunt Angie chose the meat while Diane prefered a salad. She had mentioned to him earlier that week that she had gained a few pounds since she decided to join Florrick&Agos.

The joyful excitement of a startup slowly turned into sleepless nights, which made her more anxious than ever. She had to watch her figure, she told him. Kurt, on the other hand, had no idea what she was talking about. She had always looked perfect to him.

"What did he want?" Ignoring Diane's question, Aunt Angie asked her niece.

"I was right, it was about Maggie's divorce. Although I assured him of David's capacity, he wants me to pay special attention to the case. No big deal." Diane shared a smile with her Aunt, laying the napkin on the lap once again.

Turning to Kurt, Diane reached out and touched his arm, squeezing tightly "So, did she torture you? What did she ask? Did she make you feel uncomfortable?"

"Hey, I'm right here!" her aunt said, waving a hand in front of her face.

Kurt gave his wife a reassuring smile, but didn't say anything. He at least looked relaxed, which made her calm down a little.

Ignoring her aunt's comment, Diane took the first bite and continued "So, where are you staying?"

"At the Four Seasons. Pete and Karen booked two shared suites," Aunt Angie said and sighed dramatically "I feel like I'm 12 years old. Can you believe Rosa came too?" She told Diane, shaking her head incredulously "My housekeeper is my chaperone for the trip. She is sharing the suite with me. There are two enormous bedrooms inside and a gorgeous living room. I gave Rosa the night out. She will be back by eleven, same time I am supposed to get back to the hotel. In theory."

"You are getting back to the hotel by yourself?"

"Of course not! You know Pete. Karen and he will pick me up later," she said rolling her eyes "Actually, they said they want to stop by to see you. A terrible lie, of course."

They fell silent for a moment, enjoying their meal.

"Oh, about the will, I forgot to mention," Aunt Angie ate another bite and touched Diane's arm, asking for her attention, "I'm leaving you the New York penthouse."

Diane almost choke. After a few seconds, she blinked twice before finally speaking, "I beg your pardon?"

Aunt Angie placing the fork on the plate, leaned forward on the table and started to speak slowly, as she was talking to a five year old kid, "I said I'm leaving you the penth-"

"I don't believe it," Diane shook her head, shocked "Dad was right, you are completely crazy."

"Well, since I came to Chicago, I thought you and Kurt deserved to know. And by God, Diane, you can be as dramatic as your mother when you want. You sound like I have committed a crime. I'm leaving you my home, my most dearest place-"

"It's not that!" Diane gasped and continued "What about the boys?"

"Pete gets the house in Scarsdale and Allan, the apartment in Monaco. You are my only niece and my closest relative, you get the penthouse; They are my stepsons, they get the rest. I'm sure they won't complain."

"Anyway, truth is, I am leaving the board. It's time for retirement. The boys will carry on with the company. They are also looking for a new law firm to take care of the legal business from now on. I'm getting tired. All those contracts, partnerships…It's aging me."

"You are still part of the Fox Tool's directors board?" Diane asked her aunt. But before she could answer, Kurt interrupted her.

"Fox Tools? The drill bits company?" Kurt asked and both turned their heads to him. For a moment, niece and aunt looked surprised to see Kurt. They were so involved in their conversation that they had completely forgotten that he was still there.

Diane nodded and smiled, "Yes, have you heard of it?"

"Of course," he was sincerely surprised, "I read a couple of Howard Hughes' biographies and I've learned a few things about oil drilling. Fox Tools is one of the biggest nowadays." He had no idea her aunt was a billionaire. Of course he knew she was rich, but he didn't know how rich.

"Yes, that's right. I've met Howard. People called him eccentric, I just called him plain crazy." Aunt Angie continued, "Well, I'm part of the council only. And why not? I'm a former Yale graduate, darling, or have you forgotten?"

Diane smiled, nodding "How could I? First in class."

"Exactly. But I was naive, young and in love. So I decided to throw everything out of the window, get married and be a nice, polite, well-behaved housewife."

"And I almost did the same. You would be a great lawyer, Aunt Angie."

"Sure I would. Maybe even a judge!" The comment made them laugh.

"But you proved yourself to be a damn good businesswoman, when you carried on with the company after uncle Andrew died."

"Well, you could say so, considering Fox Tools went from being the 10th biggest drill bits company in America to 2nd in 20 years," she said and winked at Kurt.

Aunt Angie looked closely at her niece, "You would make a great judge yourself, Dee." She lowered her voice and continued, in a more serious tone, "I couldn't believe when you told me about the judgeship and what the governor did to you. How could he promise you the spot and then take it back? What kind of man is he?"

"Peter Florrick is not a bad person. He was livid for what happened with his wife and decided to make me pay for it. I don't agree with his decision, but I understand it."

"If I ever meet him, I will kick his derriére for what he did to you."

Kurt chuckled and felt his cell phone vibrate in his left pocket. He had been working for a month as a ballistics expert on a case that involved twin sisters and the dead husband of one of them. The first two tests he had run indicated a defect bullet. However, after their mother's testimony and some new evidence, his third test showed a surprising outcome - the wife was the murderer after all.

Before he decided to quit the case, he asked one of his ballistics friends to make the exact same test. He had been waiting for his phone call during the whole afternoon, but he hadn't heard from him yet. He wanted to be sure that the results he got earlier that morning were indeed correct.

"Sorry, I have to take this," he looked at Aunt Angie and then at his wife "It's Douglas calling about the Gail's case. I think he has the results. Excuse me."

"No problem, take your time," Kurt felt Diane squeezing his hand gently. She knew that special case was taking all his attention and energy for the past two weeks.

"Go ahead, darling. No need to feel guilty," Aunt Angie said, "In the meantime, we will be talking about you, don't worry," she added, smirking at him. She just couldn't resist.

Kurt smiled back, kissed his wife on the cheek and left the table to take the call.

"Now," Aunt Angie placed her glass on the table and continued, "Speaking of cute derriéres..." she said, turning her head in Kurt's direction.

Diane almost choked.


	5. Chapter 5

Diane felt her aunt's eyes on her and tried to avoid her stare. She was smiling her special smile again and was obviously enjoying herself immensely. If she remembered it well, every time her aunt met one of her boyfriends, she made sure to embarrass her in front of them. Tonight, she was keeping that tradition alive.

Diane had quick flashbacks in the back of her mind of how wicked her aunt could be. And once again, she was reminded of how well she could read people.

Something in her eyes also told her that she already had an opinion about Kurt. Diane wasn't sure though if that meant good news.

Diane took a deep breath and looked straight at her aunt, "Ok, shoot," She had to be brave. After all, she admired her aunt too much and her opinion was extremely important.

Aunt Angie narrowed her eyes at Diane, took her glass in her hand and drank deeply. After she finished, she tilted her head to one side and waited a few more moments. She was enjoying Diane's anxiety too much. "I had no idea you liked mustaches."

Diane let out a sharp laugh. She was not expecting that.

"He is handsome, you were right."

Diane tried to hide her smile. "I told you."

"Yes, but when you told me, I didn't believe it."

"Well, thank you!" Diane gasped and chuckled "And why would I lie to you?"

"Not lie, darling. You are in love. Love is known to have blinded people, made them dumb, stupid and brainless. I've seen it happen before."

Aunt Angie had told her that one day she was going to be head over heels in love and then she would finally understand. It was like a small competition between them. Diane always tried to be the tough one. She always thought that love was for a special and lucky group of people. Attraction was the easiest thing, everybody had. But love, that was special.

Her parents had it, they were one of the lucky ones. Her aunt failed 3 times before actually finding it. _The true kind_ , as she mentioned to her once.

Diane always thought that love was not meant for her. She always hoped that one day she would really fall in love with somebody. As time went by, as she got older, she realized that she wasn't a member of that selected group.

"It feels wonderful, doesn't it?"

"What?"

"Being in love?" Aunt Angie said, smiling at her. She was trying to make her blush and was succeeding "Yes I know how it is, I've been there."

"Yes, it does. And it wasn't an easy year, you know. If he wasn't by my side, I don't know If I would be able to... Keep it together."

Will's death had took its tool on her. She was terribly shaken. She had lost her best friend in a stupid crime. For a few weeks, she felt a bit lost, both at home and at work.

Every time she looked across to his office on those first days, she felt a cold chill running down her spine. Even with the fight and their disagreement over that horrible interview, they came back to rely on each other once again. They have always been at their best when they were fighting on the same team.

She felt wounded at first, but she was definitely tougher now. She had to admit though that Kurt had a big role on helping her stand up properly again.

"I'm very happy for you, dear. And better late than never," she raised her glass, made a toast and drank deeply once again. Diane imitated her aunt but regretted it almost immediately. The liquid went down burning. The fact that she could still do it so easily was beyond comprehension.

"He is an eye candy," Aunt Angie mentioned, "He also has this mysterious aura... Very interesting, intriguing even."

"Yep," Diane nodded her head approvingly. She couldn't agree more.

"He is a gentleman too! A cowboy and a gentleman. An excellent combination. Well played, darling." She winked at Diane, who started to blush again. The scotch was making the effect it normally had on her, after a couple of glasses. She has always been weak for scotch and her aunt knew it.

"I can see what you saw in him," she continued, smiling at her "I mean, he is obviously gorgeous, intelligent, decent man, with a to die for tush..."

"OK, stop!" Diane said laughing, obviously embarrassed.

"The cowboy thing is very appealing isn't it?" Aunt Angie continued, completely ignoring Diane's comment "There is something irresistible about southern men. I remember the first time I met Andrew. I had no idea what it was, but I was attracted to him almost immediately."

"Same here," Diane felt her cheeks getting warm. She didn't like to talk about her relationship or her attraction to Kurt with anyone. Yet, she knew it was impossible to hide it from her aunt. She knew her too well.

"Those flannel shirts are horrendous though."

"Tell me about it. I hated it at the beginning, but I kind of like them now. They are sexy, in their weird way. "

"And they are comfortable."

"Yes, they are," Diane said dreamily. When she saw Aunt Angie's corner smirk turn into a full smile, she realized what she had just said. She blushed furiously.

"Don't worry, dear. I used to wear Andrew's shirts too."

"Oh God, I don't need to know this," Diane shook her head, covering her ears with her hands.

"He doesn't speak much, does he?"

" _We_ are the ones who speak too much, Aunt Angie." Diane chuckled, "But yes, he does the silent cowboy thing sometimes. He did it on our first date. I was babbling like an idiot and he was just staring at me."

"Behaving like a teenager on the first date, Dee? That's a no-no, darling." Aunt Angie said, eating the final bites of her meat. Diane had also almost finished with her own dinner.

"Let me point out that I was not proud of myself that night. But that's what he does to me. I can't control myself when he's around."

Aunt Angie's smile grew bigger "I know exactly what you are talking about. And remember what I told you after you broke up with Paul?" She continued, her voice soft "God writes right through tortuous lines, dear. I knew He had a special plan for your heart. You deserve it."

She smiled back at her aunt and couldn't hold back the tears that were coming. She felt her aunt's hand on hers and squeezed it tightly.

When she broke up with Paul, she thought she was destined to be single her entire life, that she was never going to fall in love again. How wrong she was.

What she felt for Kurt was beyond words. The excitement of seeing him every day, to hold him, to feel him. She doesn't have proper control of her body or mind when she is with him. And that feeling scared the hell out of her at the beginning.

"Wait," her Aunt held out a hand at her and closed her eyes "Listen."

A familiar song was playing in the background. She listened carefully, trying to recognize it. As soon as she did, her smile grew. It was her aunt's favorite song.

" _Watch What Happens_. It's beautiful."

"Michel Legrand. Oh, I love him" she said enjoying the melody "See? This is what I've been telling you about." Her aunt told her and she chuckled. She remembered the lyrics. "Do you understand it now?"

"I do," she nodded, smiling back at her. Yes, now it made perfect sense.

* * *

 _ **NOTE:**_ _Thank you guys again for the lovely reviews. Next chapter, Kurt is back and Aunt Angie will make Diane blush :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_**NOTE:** Thanks again to mikisto26 and Tamara for a few great ideas to this chapter. _

* * *

As soon as Kurt sat down on his chair, Diane laid a hand on his arm, curious,"What did Doug say? What was his conclusion?" Judging by the look on his face, she knew it wasn't good news.

He sighed and shook his head, "It's confirmed. The wife did it."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, hon," she said, touching his arm carefully. She kissed his cheek and whispered into his ear, "I can only imagine how frustrating this must be."

"Well, it is what it is," Kurt took a deep breath before continuing, "I will call Brooksman&Larson tomorrow and speak with Mr. Larson. I will leave the case."

Aunt Angie was silent the entire time, with a discreet grin on her face. She was enjoying being the witness of their intimate little moment.

"You two make a handsome couple, I have to admit," Diane and Kurt looked at each other and shared a smile. Fixing her eyes on Diane, Aunt Angie couldn't resist and added, "Although I would never have thought that he was your type."

Before Diane could reply, the waiter came back and removed their plates. After he offered the dessert menu, Aunt Angie ordered the crème brulée and Kurt, an espresso.

"Why don't you want anything, dear?" Aunt Angie asked her niece, when she declined the special menu.

"No desserts for me this time," she said lowering her gaze to her body. "I have been eating more junk food than I should these past few months. There is so much to do at the office, I barely have time to eat a proper meal."

"Yes, you do need to do that. You gained a lot of weight since the last time I saw you."

"Really? Do you think so?" Diane's eyes widened when she heard her aunt's comment.

Aunt Angie laughed and then shook her head. Turning to Kurt, she explained "She never believes me when I tell her that she looks great for her age and that she has an amazing body. I'm finally changing tactics here."

"Oh, that is just mean..." Diane said slowly, narrowing her eyes at her aunt.

"Another crème brulée for her, please," Aunt Angie told the patient waiter, who was still taking notes, "And don't you dare refusing it this time, darling," she continued, "Or I will make a comment about your hair."

"What about my hair?" Diane asked, running a hand over her hair and looking at Kurt for reassurance.

Ignoring her niece's worried reaction, she changed the subject, "So Mr. McVeigh, I've been told that you have an arsenal in your farm-"

Before her aunt could finish, Diane raised her hand and protested, "Wait a minute, I've never said arsenal..."

"Why in the world would somebody have so many guns, rifles and automatic weapons at a farm?" She continued, ignoring Diane once again.

"They are not mine, ma'am. They are from the cases I've been working on."

"Ah," Aunt Angie nodded slowly, "Where does this love for weapons come from exactly?" She asked him, leaning forward on her chair.

"My father had quite a collection of old historic guns and rifles. When I was a kid, he used to tell me the story of each one, how it was fabricated, the differences of each style. He also taught me a few things about their functionality, how they work. The subject has always fascinated me."

"Interesting," she nodded slowly, sizing him up and down. "He was a collector then,"

Kurt nodded and continued, "He was a Marine Engineer, ma'am. And a collector."

After waiting a few moments, she continued, "And where are those guns now? Not at your farm, I suppose."

"At the National Firearms Museum in Virginia. He donated his entire collection to the museum 5 years before he died."

"Oh, how nice of him. Leaving such a wonderful treasure for the American people, keeping the culture of love for guns alive in our country. What a thoughtful gesture," she mentioned and quickly smiled at him. He knew she was being sarcastic.

Diane, on the other hand, could feel her cheeks burn. She knew where this conversation was heading. She looked from one to the other, as if she was watching a tennis match.

Aunt Angie leaned towards the bottle and smiled at him wryly, "More?"

Kurt merely grimaced in return and accepted her offer.

"So, her father wrote the first gun control law in Illinois while yours was a guns collector," she threw back at him and continued, "I wonder what happens when the two of you start discussing politics," she said lightly, with a little tilt of her head and a wicked smile playing on her lips.

He laughed quietly, nodding once. By the look on her face, she had a pretty good idea what happened.

"What did your mother do, Mr McVeigh?"

"She was a housewife, ma'am."

"Just like Helen. At least you have _that_ in common," she mentioned, widening her eyes.

Kurt saw how anxious his wife had become and searched for her hand under the table, holding it tightly. When she felt his hand on hers, she returned the gesture, silently thanking him for his support. Funny, he wasn't feeling nervous anymore. The scotch was actually helping him relax.

"And just for the sake of my health, let's be clear here: you do not have any relation to Timothy McVeigh, do you?" Aunt Angie asked, laying her arms on the table.

"No, ma'am," Kurt chuckled and shook his head, "Not that I know of."

Aunt Angie narrowed her eyes at him again, before crossing her arms over her chest, "I think we should be 100% sure that your DNA is terrorist free. I might ask my law firm to investigate your ancestors."

Diane gasped, "Aunt Angie!"

"Darling, what? He is not sure either!" She raised her hand in Kurt's direction.

"You are not going to investigate Kurt's life!" Diane said accusingly and sighed, "Why do you always try to embarrass me in front-"

"Dee, I'm not trying to embarrass you in front of him. I need to know a few things about his life before I give my final verdict. Mr. McVeigh, do you mind?"

"No, ma'am, I don't," Kurt said with an amused smile on his lips.

"There you go. He doesn't."

"He is too polite to say he does, Aunt Angie," she said angrily, "And you know it!"

"See this temper?" Turning to Kurt, she added, "It's from her mother's side," Diane gasped loudly.

"Darling, if I was trying to embarrass you I would mention that my feminist niece here, at the age of 12, had a notebook where she used to write her name over and over with every surname known to mankind, just for the sake of knowing how her married name would sound and look like."

"Oh dear God," Diane raised her hands to her ears and lowered her head.

"Diane Archer, Diane Randall, Diane Harrison, Diane Collins-"

"This is not happening..." Diane shook her head in complete disbelief.

"And where she also used to draw little pink and red hearts with arrows all over the board. So adorably romantic," Aunt Angie inclined her head and smiled at her niece.

"I can't believe you are saying this,"

Touching Kurt's arm, she continued, "Sorry darling, I don't think Diane McVeigh was on the list. But I do remember seeing McAllister, though. It's close enough," Aunt Angie said, raising her shoulders dismissively.

"I need a drink," Diane whispered and poured herself more of the golden liquid.

"You know, Dee never tells me anything about anyone. She never did," she stole a quick look at her niece as she continued, laying her arms on the table, "Your first date, however, was an exception. She told me she had a wonderful dinner with a cowboy like. Whatever happened there, darling, you left quite the impression."

Diane blushed furiously, before covering her face with her hands, "Ok, just kill me now!"

Kurt chuckled and ran a hand up and down his wife's back, trying to calm her a little.

Aunt Angie drank again, looked at the couple in front of her and decided to change the subject.

"So, I've also heard that you are a hunter, Mr. McVeigh."

"Yes," he shook his head positively.

"Let me be honest here: I don't trust people who kill animals for sports,"

"That's it. I give up," Diane said raising her hands, "I knew you were going to turn into your old self sooner or later," she took the glass in her hands and drank deeply.

"Let me finish darling, there is a however," she laid her hand on Diane's arm to reassure her, "However," she continued, turning her head slightly in Diane's direction, with a wry smile playing on her lips, "Since I fell in love with a hunter myself, who happened to be one of the greatest man I've ever met, I will give you a chance."

"Fair enough," Kurt smiled, raising his glass in her direction for a toast. Both drank deeply never loosing eye contact.

"And I get the hunting, the arsenal, the plaid shirts, the ranch and even the fact that you are a pro-life Republican… But Sarah Palin? Are you out of your mind?"

Looking down at his glass, he opened his mouth to answer. He knew she was mocking him, just like Diane did it on their first date.

"Well…" he started, but was soon interrupted by the waiter, who brought their order back. Kurt waited until the young man left the table to continue, but noticed his wife raising her head. Something at the restaurant reception had caught her attention. She raised one hand and waved.

"It's Karen and Pete. They are finally here."

"Oh, good! Just in time for dessert!" Aunt Angie clapped her hands, happy to hear the news.

"Thank God!" Diane whispered, but he heard it.

He was sure that her aunt also did, as she had a wry smile on her face, when she discreetly winked at him.

* * *

 ** _TBC_**


End file.
